The Sect Leader of Qingcheng secretly rejoiced as everyone stepped onto that fork in the road.
Soon after entering the cave, a strong putrid smell assailed them, making Li Miao frown.
"It must be those few grave robbers who didn't escape," Lao Qifeng said.
Everyone walked forward for a while and, sure enough, saw bodies lying strewn across the ground.
Just as one person was about to step forward to examine them, Lao Qifeng stopped him.
"Don't get close. There isn't even a large living creature in this cave. These people must have been harmed by insanity worms."
The person realized and quickly thanked him.
Everyone bypassed the bodies and continued forward.
Initially narrow, just wide enough for a person, after walking a few dozen more steps, it suddenly opened up.
They had entered a cave that was a hundred zhang square.
As soon as they entered the cave, they heard the Head of Kongtong Sect exclaim in a low voice, "There are words on the stone wall!"
This drew everyone's attention, and they quickly went to look.
They saw that the stone wall was densely covered with writing.
Li Miao scanned up and down, murmuring a few lines.
"Martial Dao Zen Sect, Jia Yi Divine Skill. To use its power, one must first blunt its edge…"
Since he had deduced Li's Nuptial Gown Divine Skill from the incomplete manuscript of Jia Yi Divine Skill, he could naturally judge its authenticity.
What Li Miao hadn't expected was that what was on the stone wall was the genuine Jia Yi Divine Skill! It was the kind you could practice directly from!
Everyone present was a Master, and as they looked at the words on the stone wall, their internal energy circulated accordingly, and they immediately came to the same conclusion—it was real!
As soon as this conclusion was reached, everyone's first reaction was not joy, but rather to circulate their internal energy, grip their weapons, and scan those around them.
People die for wealth, and birds die for food.
Not everyone in this world has good luck. Those with good bone structure may not be able to join a major sect, and those with kind hearts may not be able to enter a righteous sect. The martial arts most people practice are actually just a "compromise."
Just among those present, there were five or six people who had remained in the second-rate because they lacked good, suitable martial arts, and had made no further progress.
For them, a divine skill was enough reason for bloodshed, infighting, or even betraying their sect.
Not to mention there were three lone first-rate masters; even if they had no desire for the divine skill, they still had to guard against these major sects killing them to silence them.
In an instant, the tacitly maintained false unity among them disintegrated.
Li Miao smiled, reached out and pulled Yin Minjun aside, retreating to the side: "Elder Yin and I will not participate in this matter. Please proceed as you wish."
"Master, I won't be helping you."
Yongjie clasped his hands together and bowed to Li Miao: "This monk is already breaking his vows, and dare not trouble the benefactor. Life and death are fated; even if this monk is to die, the benefactor need not intervene."
He had kept silent, fearing someone would recognize his voice, but now he finally spoke.
Immediately, the Head of Kongtong Sect frowned and looked at him: "Your voice, sir, sounds very much like an old acquaintance of mine."
Yongjie lowered his clasped hands and straightened his back.
He had not come here as Yongjie of Shaolin, but as Tu Qingcang, to contend for this opportunity. Now that the dagger was revealed, there was no need to pretend anymore.
A series of bone and muscle crackles sounded from his body, and Yongjie's figure seemed to grow several inches taller in an instant. He clenched his fist and said in a deep voice to the Head of the Liu Sect: "Head of the Liu Sect, it's been a long time."
"It's you! Tu Qingcang! You're still alive!"
As the Head of Kongtong Sect uttered these words, people from the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect immediately looked at Yongjie, revealing hostility.
These three sects all harbored grudges against Yongjie.
"Thank you for your concern, I am indeed not dead. Today, I shall contend with you all for this divine skill," Yongjie said.
The Head of Kongtong Sect swallowed and turned to look at the people from the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect.
"Everyone, this fellow Tu is a top-tier Master. In the past, he was arrogant and ruthless, and he will certainly not let us off. Why don't we first join forces to kill him, avenge ourselves, and then discuss other matters!"
The leader of the Emei Sect was an Elder. He looked at Yongjie and nodded.
The Sect Leader of Qingcheng felt that if Yongjie was not killed, his own plans would be difficult to succeed, and he also nodded.
Thirteen people from the three sects. Six first-rate, seven second-rate, against one top-tier Master. The outcome was still unknown.
Li Miao, however, smiled.
The first time he met Yongjie, he said that Yongjie was a first-rate Master, not top-tier.
Because the internal energy in his body was clearly from the direct lineage of Shaolin, similar to Liu Baiyun. He had probably crippled his own martial arts back then and switched to practicing Shaolin techniques.
However, Li Miao was not worried that Yongjie would die.
Martial arts struggles are not like playing cards; the one with the higher score does not necessarily win.
To be able to do what ordinary people cannot is to be a prodigy.
In a struggle of life and death, the victory is decided in a single moment!
In an instant, the Head of Kongtong Sect charged forward, unleashing a "Seven Injury Fist" toward Yongjie's face!
Read the original text at 6#9@Book/Bar!
The Emei Elder, hidden behind him, thrust out a long sword with a series of "Seven Fiend Sword Arts."
This sword art was the Emei Sect's mountain-guarding sword art, divided into seven sections, each with seven strikes. Every strike was utterly fierce and venomous, with each move targeting Yongjie's vital acupoints.
The Sect Leader of Qingcheng unleashed a series of "Heaven's Escape Sword," appearing in front, then suddenly behind, the sword light flickering, weaving through the gaps in the moves of the two in front, sealing off Yongjie's space to maneuver.
The three were all long-renowned first-rate Masters, and they had all been active in the Southern Martial World, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each other's sect's martial arts. In an instant, they formed a coordinated attack.
Facing an offensive that few in the martial world could withstand, Yongjie burst into laughter: "Excellent!"
He neither retreated nor dodged, instead meeting the Head of Kongtong Sect head-on with a punch!
Bang!
A muffled thud.
Thump, thump, thump, thump—
The Head of Kongtong Sect retreated several steps to dissipate the force, his right hand trembling, and he looked sharply at Yongjie.
"He's no longer a top-tier Master! We can take him down today!" he roared.
Yongjie's mouth and nose were bleeding at this moment, but his body had not retreated half a step.
In that clash just now, as fellow first-rate Masters, Yongjie suffered a disadvantage.
The Head of Kongtong Sect had retreated to dissipate the force, but Yongjie had taken the "Seven Injury Fist" head-on, with sheer brute force.
The Seven Injury Fist was originally an internal injury boxing technique that harmed both the user and the opponent, damaging the heart, lungs, and intestines. Yet Yongjie chose to take it head-on, immediately suffering internal injuries.
Was he overconfident?
No, he could not retreat.
This was not a fair duel, but a struggle of one against many. If he had retreated to dissipate force like the Head of Kongtong Sect, his stance would have been disorganized, making it difficult to withstand the combined killing moves of the other two first-rate Masters.
No sooner said than done, the sword moves of the Qingcheng and Emei Sects reached Yongjie.
"Hahaha—" Yongjie laughed wildly.
His left fist suddenly rose, smashing forcefully onto the Emei Elder's sword blade; his right fist came from below, striking towards the Sect Leader of Qingcheng's temple, attacking where the enemy must defend!
Clang!
Hiss—
Two sounds rang out simultaneously.
The Emei Elder's sword tip was struck high, but he turned the tables, instantly bringing it straight down, a "Splitting Mount Hua" strike aimed at Yongjie's head!
Yongjie's right arm, however, had a deep wound, from which blood was now spurting.
Just now, the Sect Leader of Qingcheng had ducked to avoid that punch, thrusting his long sword upwards, wounding Yongjie's right arm. Then he immediately followed with a "Zhong Kui Gouging Eyes" move, aiming for Yongjie's eyes.
Behind them, the Head of Kongtong Sect, after a brief period of adjusting his breath, also charged over.
The other disciples of the three sects also circled around, their gazes sweeping over Yongjie, just waiting for an opening to make him lose his balance.